Secondary school students take part in Design Engineering Week

20 secondary school students took part in our first ever Design Engineering taster week this February half term, joining for a jam-packed programme of workshops to get a practical intro to design engineering, project-based learning, and TEDI-London.

I have no doubt that these young minds will make a significant impact in the field of engineering and beyond.”

The 5 days saw future engineers learning some of the key strands of our Global Design Engineering curriculum; designing for user needs and in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, reverse engineering, drawing and prototyping a model, plus how to prepare and deliver a stand-out presentation.

To put their acquired knowledge and creativity to the test, students worked in teams to respond to a design brief which challenged them to produce a high-fidelity prototype of a windmill that utilised sustainable energy.

On the final day, each team presented their design and talked through their research and rationale behind it to their fellow students, parents, TEDI-London academics and our Executive Dean Prof Lisa Brodie. We were also delighted to be joined by industry experts Anna Perela​, Head of Planning at CityScape Digital, Elvis Tinago​, an Education Community Engineer from RS Group, and Chris Rochester, UK Director at Primary Engineer who helped provide feedback on each pitch, and select the winning groups.

Reflecting on the event, programme lead Nabih Asif shares: “I was truly impressed by the enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication showcased by the students throughout our Design Engineering Week. Witnessing their passion for solving real-world problems while embracing sustainable practices was inspiring, as was their collaborative spirit and ability to translate theoretical knowledge into practical solutions.

“This week has not only provided them with valuable skills but also reaffirmed the importance of initiatives like this in nurturing the next generation of ethical engineers. I have no doubt that these young minds will make a significant impact in the field of engineering and beyond.”

With a desire to encourage more young people to enter the profession and demonstrate the value that engineers play in society and ethical design, we look forward to holding similar in-person initiatives at our campus in future, alongside our online engineering taster challenge Thinking Ahead.

Looking to take on a design engineering challenge? Sign up to Thinking Ahead, running 6-20 March 2024.